Disposable absorbent articles are available in many different sizes, styles and configurations and are designed for absorbing human exudate, such as urine and fecal matter. Such disposable absorbent articles are intended to be worn by infants, toddlers and adults and are designed for single use. By “single use” it is meant that the disposable absorbent article will be disposed of after being used once instead of being laundered or cleaned for reuse, as is typical of cloth underwear. Examples of some disposable absorbent articles include an infant diaper, a child training pant, a feminine menstrual pant and an adult incontinent undergarment. Many of such disposable absorbent articles are similar in appearance, size and shape as regular cloth underwear except that they are formed from a variety of materials, including absorbent and elastic materials. The absorbent materials allow the disposable absorbent article to absorb and retain body waste while the elastic materials permit the disposable absorbent article to closely conform to the anatomy of the user's torso.
Most manufacturers of such disposable absorbent articles are constantly looking to improve the appearance and normalcy of such articles to simulate cloth underwear. One important functional element is fit. The disposable absorbent article must fit comfortably against the wearer's body while preventing fluid leakage. It has been discovered that constructing a disposable absorbent article using three separate and distinct panels, instead of a single panel, allows for greater flexibility and better fit. In addition, the use of new elastic materials, which have the ability to stretch and retract in more than one direction, have allowed manufacturers to construct disposable absorbent articles that conform more closely to the wearer's torso. This is especially noticeable around the waist and leg openings and the areas overlaying the stomach and buttock regions. However, the crotch portion of many disposable absorbent articles still needs to be improved. The crotch portion needs to have resiliency mainly in the transverse or cross-body direction in order to elongate and rebound from movement of the wearer's thighs. As a wearer walks, his or her thighs move forward relative to each other and this causes the crotch portion to rope and twist. In addition, when the wearer moves his or her thighs closer together, the crotch portion will be subjected to compressive forces. Likewise, when the wearer moves his or her thighs apart, the crotch portion will need to quickly move back towards its original size and dimension. This need for the absorbent to elongate and contract in the transverse or cross-body direction is desirable in preventing fluid leakage.
Now a three-piece, disposable absorbent article has been invented that has an absorbent assembly that includes a non-elastic absorbent that is capable of being elongated and contracted in the transverse or cross-body direction as the backsheet is stretched and retracted.